Unit 3 Lesson Plan developed for Grade(s) 6
Title: What is an urban heat island?
Author: Barbara Williams
Applies to Lesson(s) 7 from http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/climatechange/
Objective: To give students an opportunity to explore microclimates and
appreciate how different earth materials absorb and give off heat.
Total Time Expected: 1 hour
Overview: Students will go out to the school yard on a warm and sunny day with
thermometers and describe four different areas, collect temperature data,
generate class data and draw conclusions.
Sequence:
1- Discuss with students today’s temperature and whether or not that
temperature would vary if we walked around outside or if it would remain
the same wherever we roamed.
2- Have students give evidence for their opinions and then give instruct them
to identify various areas outside where the temperature might be higher or
lower than another area. If students don’t generate themselves ideas about
concrete, sun, shade, grass, trees then guide them to these.
3- Have students record in their lab books six different areas they plan to visit
in the school yard and give them a thermometer to record the temperature
of each.
4- Go outside and collect data.
5- After data is collected return to classroom to create a chart with collected
data.
6- Draw conclusions from data.
7- Discuss reasons for these conclusions to expain data.
8- Talk about urban heat islands and micro-climates. Be certain to emphasize
that these areas that are hotter are not contributers to global warming, but
that as temperatures rise due to increasing GHG’s urban areas are
especially vulnerable to heat waves.
9- Direct students to:
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/climate/urban_heat_islands.html to
read about urban heat islands and write down in lab books 6 important
facts.
10Students share facts.
Supplies or references required: thermometers, netbooks, lab books
National Science Standards addressed:
5-8: Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry
5-8: Content Standard B: Properties and Changes of Properties in Matter
5-8 Content Standard B: Transfer of Energy
5-8: Content Standard D: Properties of Earth materials
5-8: Content Standard D: Structure of the Earth System
Related URLs or recommended reading: see above